A Happy Tale
by Yorufukurou
Summary: Following Fairy Tail's conflict with the dark guild Tartarus, Happy has looked at the world differently. His lack of strength and dependency on others has plagued him long enough, and he plans on changing his reality. When evil threatens the sanctity of his new world, he will soon discover that power comes with responsibility, and that his choices will affect those he loves.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Welcome one and all to my first fanfiction. I've always had the idea about telling a story from Happy's perspective, and with school winding down it might just be the time to give it a shot. It will have different perspectives throughout – as I feel like taking the position of an omniscient narrator works best for this type of story. Please feel free to review and critique – not as if you all needed the invitation in the first place – but I'd like to make it clear that I'm open to criticism. With one final statement – I'd just like to warn everyone that there are light spoilers within the text – as I do begin this storyline following the events of the Tartarus arc – so please proceed with caution. With all that said and done, and not being a fan of long introductory sequences myself, please enjoy!**

A Happy Tale

Yorufukurou

It was abnormal for rain to fall during the summer months in Fiore. The land didn't need it, as the snow melting in the mountains to the north was more than enough to feed the streams that crisscrossed through forests and towns down to the coast. The trees were dark green, like the tip of a pen had lingered too long on each stem, causing a stain. Although water was the lifeblood of those who lived in the South, rain was seen as an omen more than a necessity. The people here weren't farmers. These were seafaring folk, and they took their superstitions seriously. The towns were shuttered and locked, as if a typhoon would appear from the calm sea momentarily. Even the inns were shut, as it was thought that anyone moving into town during such weather would only bring misfortune. The two travelers passing through the town of Kaede were unaware of this traditional paranoia, and thus had spent their night in the forest farther to the east. While the rain had turned to a slight drizzle overnight, the wind had only grown stronger. It wound its way through the trees, shaking off the heavy droplets that had accumulated throughout the storm, sending them falling to the ground in a pitter-pattering melody that shattered the serenity of the scene. It was the wind that woke Happy.

_Morning already? _Happy thought. "Natsu, we need to get going! The sun's already up, and besides I'm freezing."

Glancing over at the man sleeping next to him, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly he should expect over the next few weeks. Their departure from their wizards' guild, Fairy Tail, had been spontaneous and ill-planned. Even now, they barely had enough food to last the day, and money was another thing entirely. And yet, Happy understood his friend's desire to leave. After the cataclysmic conflict that was Fairy Tail's struggle against the dark guild Tartarus, Natsu's life had been altered in ways Happy couldn't even begin to comprehend. He had been pushed to his limit both physically and magically, and although Happy never doubted Natsu's ability to persevere over the dark guild, even he was uncertain of how the dragon slayer was dealing with his father's untimely demise.

_Seven years of loneliness, _Happy pondered, padding over to begin collecting the loose trinkets that had been displaced by his usage of his pack as a pillow. _Seven years of waiting and hoping, just to see him killed. _

Natsu's adoptive father, the dragon Igneel, had been struck down by the demon Acnologia, a dragon of the apocalypse, during the climax of the fighting. While this by itself would be enough to bring even the strongest of men to their knees, Natsu had also had to deal with the revelation that Igneel had been living within his body for the seven years he had been missing.

_I've known him for seven years, and we've been through the worst hell has had to offer. But in all that time, I'd never seen him look truly defeated – truly devastated – until that moment. _

"Hey partner, aren't you supposed to be the happy one in this team? What's with the long face?"

Happy glanced back, making eye contact with the dragon slayer who had finally roused himself from his dreams. He couldn't help but laugh at his partner's remarks, especially given the circumstances. Of anyone in the world who had the right to be depressed, it would be Natsu, and yet he was more worried about the feelings of his friend.

"I'm starving! We didn't get to eat anything because you said the inns would have plenty of food once we got into Kaede!"

"Well that's not my fault! How was I supposed to know these guys thought rain brought bad luck? It's not like I can see the future."

Happy felt a bit of a twinge in his heart with that comment. While he may have been upset about the circumstances, especially given his love of fish and the time he'd gone without a good meal, that was not the main thing on his mind. While Natsu had taken the time to leave a note to Lucy, their teammate and Natsu's probable more-than-friend interest, Happy had failed in doing the same for his, Carla. While the white exceed had certainly been standoffish towards the beginning of their relationship, ever since their adventures in Edolas he had felt closer to her, and had finally thought his feelings might be reciprocated. Having left just as he was making progress towards her had been tough, but leaving her in the dark was another issue all together. Natsu's mention of premonition only served to bring back those negative feelings.

Unfortunately for Happy, Natsu had noticed his comment's effect, and while the dragon slayer was usually sympathetic towards his friend, he had decided that this morning was a time for fun.

"Ahh, so that's what it is. Missing your girlfriend already, Happy? Carla's probably searching all over for you right now, if she remembers who you are at least," Natsu added with a wink and smirk.

"You know she's not my girlfriend!" Happy retorted, heat rising to his face. Happy's infatuation with Carla was not a secret within the guild, and he was perfectly confident to court her openly. Recently however, much to his chagrin, his interest had invited the childish spirit of his partner. While the teasing comments the other guild members threw at Happy typically had no impact, the brotherly banter between himself and Natsu could cause Happy some serious embarrassment, for no reason other than the fact that he held Natsu's opinion so highly.

"Regardless of who she is to you, she won't notice either of us if we don't get stronger. So let's get moving! We've got a lot of work to do if we want to reach our goals."

"Aye, sir!" While the change in topic had certainly brightened his mood, Happy was also looking forward to the opportunity to grow his strength. Even though Natsu genuinely thought of him as his equal, Happy knew that in reality he was useless in any situation greater than an informal guild brawl. This frustrated him, partially because of his relationship with Natsu, but also because of his own pride. He identified as a mage, yet could only face the weakest of enemies. His magic, Aera, was unique in its properties of flight and speed, but it lacked the magnificence and power of the other magics in Fairy Tail. While Happy had originally tried to compensate with physical training, it had become readily apparent that his physique would most likely prohibit him from overpowering most opponents. His magical power was continuing to grow, but without destructive force, he feared it would remain inconsequential in most conflicts. In a bolder attempt to become stronger, he had even tried his hand at swordsmanship, after convincing Pantherlily to teach him some basic concepts. If that experience hadn't dissuaded him from that path, the scars he'd received certainly had.

And so the duo set off, continuing on their journey to the east. They passed the time with the casual discussion that only the best of friends could hold for hours. While neither had the attention span to hold a single topic for more than a few minutes, they were never in silence as they trudged through the dense undergrowth that had accumulated on the forest floor. As the sun rose higher in the sky, their surroundings began to show signs of vitality. A refrain of birdsong roused the forest from its hibernation, and soon the two found themselves surrounded by the frenetic activity of the denizens of the forest. Stopping by a creek, the two procured fishing poles for a midday meal. After some time, and multiple profanities, each had hooked a sizeable amount of fish. Keeping with character, Happy ate his raw, watching with some bemusement as Natsu used magic to cook his. The exceed could never understand why someone would want to taint the flavor of a fresh fish with flame, especially when the one in question was Natsu, who had an excellent talent for reducing them to burnt crisps. As they sat eating, Happy couldn't help but take in the scene around them. The rushing water and sounds of nature seemed to make time come to a halt.

"Beautiful huh?" commented Natsu.

"Yeah, it really is amazing." Happy replied. 'There's so much going on in just one place, but at the same time it's so carefree. I can't believe it."

"It's so calm. We've just gotten started and I could sleep again."

"I could just sit here all day. The rain finally slacked off, and it's just so relaxing. Sometimes I thi-"

"I hate this type of stuff. It's time to train! I can't stand all of this waiting around, especially when we've done nothing all day. I want to fight somebody. Happy let's go! You and me, right now!"

"WHAT!?"

* * *

Exhausted, Happy collapsed next to the campfire they'd setup. Never one to enjoy a relaxing scene, Natsu had insisted the two compete all afternoon. While Happy had been quick to point out his inability to match him in a bout, Natsu had been more than willing to accept a trial of endurance instead. The two had pushed themselves to their limits.

_Or at least I did,_ Happy grumbled internally.

Natsu had given each task his all, whether it be rock climbing to build arm strength, channeling magic to increase magical power, or even the "Who can build the best campfire" contest which Happy had consequentially lost due to his inability to produce dragon flames at will. Yet, the dragon slayer had been barely fatigued, and had instead gone off into the forest to fight wild animals for dinner. Apparently he had overdone it, because if the cascading explosions weren't enough to suggest it, he had fallen asleep within thirty seconds of returning to camp.

Happy was fine letting Natsu take care of himself, as he was perfectly content with the fish he had caught earlier. As he sat tending his bruised and broken body, he couldn't help but think back to the events of the past weeks. The Grand Magic Games and battle against Tartarus had shown him just how strong the wizards of Fiore were, and Happy had seen every single one of them humbled by either magical or spiritual conflict. He had also seen how far his friends were willing to go for each other, and in turn how far he was willing to go for those he cared about. He found himself reliving the events in Edolas, and his actions to protect Carla. When the Extalians had told them the truth about their betrayal of their friends, his horror had turned into rage upon seeing the devastating effect it had on her. Refusing to be controlled, Happy had escaped with Carla, and together with other members of Fairy Tail, had been able to put into motion the events that eventually returned the guild to Earth. While in the end everything had worked out, Happy still struggled with the reality of his actions. While he had been able to protect Carla, he had realized one serious issue with how he had done it.

He had not been able to fight for her, so instead they had ran.

_Lily has his battle form, and Carla can use her premonition._ Happy fretted. _Natsu has control over dragon flame, Lucy controls celestial spirits, and Gray and Erza alone can take on an army. Everyone in Fairy Tail has more power than me. Sure I can fly, but what good does that do, especially when Lily and Carla can do that themselves?_

With a grim expression, Happy placed his belongings in a nook of the tree he was leaning against. Around him, the forest was asleep, with only the occasional hum of an insect breaking the silence of the night. Looking up through the forest canopy, he could just make out the moon and stars suspended in the night sky. His eye caught the movement of a shooting star, and giving into his impulse, he made a wish for strength and love. As the flickering flames of the campfire began to die out, Happy did something he had never done before.

He felt sorry for himself.

* * *

As the sun rose over the normally bustling town of Magnolia the following morning, it was greeted not by the usual traffic of market goers and craftsmen, but rather the wails of a guild centered around one word.

"Disbanded!?"

"That's what the sign says." Erza confirmed. "Effective immediately, I will no longer be in charge of the magical guild known as Fairy Tail, because as of today, it shall no longer exist. Good luck my children, and know that I will always be there for you should you need me. Signed, Master Makarov."

The scarlet haired woman turned to her companions, who all had differing emotions displayed on their faces. While in general members of Fairy Tail had been known for their rambunctious attitudes, the people Erza saw now showed no signs of their past selves. Exhaling deeply, she waited to see how they would respond.

That was when the questions started.

"What do we do now?"

"Where do we go?"

"Are we even allowed to use our magic?"

"Where are Natsu and Happy?"

The chaos died down as everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice which had asked that question. Their questioning gazes were met with the dignified determination which only an exceed could hold.

"I'm not sure where they are Carla, but I know that they're no longer here in Magnolia." Lucy answered.

"What do you mean they're no longer here? Don't they live here? Where'd those two idiots go now?" Gray added from his position in the crowd. The ice mage's comments summed up the interests of everyone at that moment.

"When I went home last night, I was expecting to find the two of them digging into the cake I'd been saving but never gotten around to eating," Lucy began, trying to hide her emotions with humor. "Whenever I can't find them, they always end up there, so I assumed it would be no different this time around. Instead, all I found was a note, saying that they were leaving." The last few words were forced out as Lucy broke down into tears.

Stunned silence met her sobs, and for the first time, the rest of Fairy Tail began to take in the gravity of their situation. Not only was their guild gone, but so were two of their friends. As each individual was dealing with this revelation, no one, not even Wendy, had noticed that Carla had slipped away during the announcement.

The female exceed padded along the side streets of Magnolia, before sprouting her wings and taking flight to the nearby forest. Her thoughts were muddled and disorganized, so she instead focused her energy into searching for landmarks she could recognize. After some time, Carla spotted what she was looking for, and made her decent into a clearing wrought out of the middle of a thicket. Approaching the only building in the area, a dingy looking house with a cracked facade, Carla felt her emotions start to give way to tears. The last time she'd been here had been just after the guild's return from Edolas. Natsu and Happy had opened their home to their team, in the spirit of celebration following the guild's return to Earth. Happy had offered her a fish, which she had characteristically denied, while the rest of the main team had gathered around the only table in the house to play cards. While it had not been an extravagant or well-planned event, it was a fond memory, especially following her experiences with Happy in the other world. It was also the only instance she had spent time with him outside of the day to day actions of the guild. Her typical sophistication gone, she let her tears flow freely as she knocked softly on the wooden door leading into the dwelling. Waiting for the answer that she knew would never come, Carla could only think of one thing.

Happy.

She tried to wrap her head around her emotions, in order to gain some control over the situation. She tried to think about why this news struck her more deeply than Fairy Tail's dissolution. Happy had annoyed her incessantly since the day they'd met, and his immaturity and boyish behavior served only to make her life more tiresome. Yet, thinking back to his actions in Edolas, where she had for the first time seen a side of him other than the carefree soul she had known, Carla could no longer fight her feelings. Happy had changed the way she thought about herself as an exceed – and had given her a new outlook on life. For the first time, she had felt control over her destiny, and had him to thank for it. While his attitude and mannerisms were certainly a source of annoyance to her at times, Carla couldn't imagine a world that Happy was not a part of. And with that understanding, Carla knew why she couldn't stop sobbing.

"You bastard. You left me here alone, after everything we went through, without even saying goodbye."

**End Notes: And with that – I think I've finalized the first chapter. Geez was I more self-critical than I was expecting to be – and boy do I still think I can do a better job. Thankfully – I have more chapters to work in – as this will be a multi-part story. Hopefully my relatively negative introduction hasn't scared anyone away – and if it has – please let me know so I can appreciate my ability to upset my audience! (That's not really the goal here I promise…) While I can't provide an accurate timeline as of now for updates, I can certainly say I will look forward to reading reviews and writing the next part of this story. Thank you for giving it a shot!**

**\- Yoru**


	2. Chapter 2

"That's your plan?"

"Oh, come on Happy. I could take that thing with one arm tied behind my back. Actually that's a great idea – do you have any rope in your pack?"

"I don't have anything! That's why we're looking for food in the first place, remember?"

"Wait… we're looking for food? I just thought that thing'd be fun to fight."

Happy just stared in response. The one thing Natsu had plenty of was fighting spirit.

"Whatever. As long as we can eat that thing, I don't care why you want to fight it. Let's just get it."

The "thing" they were referring to would probably be best described as just that - a thing. It was gigantic, standing at least forty feet in height, and nearly as large in width. While it was impossible to determine whether it was a crocodile mixed with a bear, or some other fantastical mixture of "normal" creatures, there was one thing the duo was certain of.

It walked. It breathed. Therefore, it could be eaten.

As flames enveloped Natsu's right hand, Happy recognized the trademark smirk that always accompanied the dragon slayer to battle.

_Fire Dragon's…_

The dragon slayer channeled his magical power, spiking the heat of his flames and driving his feet into the earth as he lunged forward. While covered with scales, the monster in front of them had one apparent weak spot. Aiming for the side of its head, Natsu unleashed his power.

_Iron Fist!_

The creature was sent spiraling backwards, striking a wall of stone at an alarmingly quick speed. As it fell to the ground, it was readily apparent that the last thing it had felt had been the heat of dragon flames.

"Well that was anticlimactic. What's the point of looking so scary when all it takes to beat you is one punch?"

"Well Natsu, that thing probably wasn't meant to stand up to dragon slayer magic. Even if it's gigantic, that doesn't mean it's immune to fire."

The two approached the stricken beast, trying to figure out exactly where to start. Happy wondered if the thing was even edible. After all, its appearance alone suggested otherwise. Sure, their makeshift logic had led them to believe it was food, but up close the two started to have their doubts.

"Maybe we're supposed to start with the eyes," suggested Natsu.

"Maybe you shouldn't be making the decisions about cooking," answered Happy, shivering at the thought.

"_**MAYBE YOU TWO SHOULD EXPLAIN WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE DOING TAKING MY DINNER!"**_

Happy and Natsu whirled around, facing the source of the outburst. A man of great stature, his face obscured by a cloak, was approaching them – in a rather menacing way. Neither of the two had any knowledge of sensory magic, but they didn't need to in order to know that this person was incredibly powerful. His mere presence made the ground tremble, and around him an aura of magical power seemed to permeate the very cells of their bodies.

"Natsu, this guy's trouble…" warned Happy.

For once, the dragon slayer did not have a rebuttal against his argument. The two stood in genuine fear as the shrouded figure approached.

"I haven't had anything to eat in days. Just when I find something fit for my appetite, you two bozos roll in and steal it right as I'm about to make my move. You guys looking for a problem?" Removing his hood, the man looked directly at the duo for the first time. "Because if so, you're so-"

A spark of recognition passed between the three magicians.

"Natsu? Happy?"

"GILDARTS!?"

With this realization, the tension of the moment was replaced with a feeling of joyous relief. The ex-Fairy Tail guild master certainly had power, but thankfully, it was reserved for his enemies, not fellow guildmates. Enjoying the reunion, the trio proceeded to share in the bounty that was the conflictual beast. After finally determining the proper way to consume it, the three enjoyed their first good meal in days.

Accented by their friendship, the day proved to be quite the experience. Regaining his zealous fervor for sparring, Natsu challenged Gildarts to a contest. Regaining his power, Gildarts quickly demolished the fellow mage, but not without seceding not one, but two steps backwards for his effort. Pleased with the result, and gaining congratulations from Gildarts, Natsu took pride in his growth as a mage. The last time they had battled, he had barely managed to push him back a single step. Looking at it now, he had achieved a _staggering_ 100% increase in ability. At least when viewed at face value.

Retiring to a nearby hot spring, the group settled in to spend the night. After preparing camp, they enjoyed a soak in the relaxing waters. The heat itself seemed to siphon the exhaustion out of their bodies, leaving them calm and loose-lipped.

"So you're training huh. Well, it definitely looks like it's paying off," Gildarts commented. "I don't remember you being able to unleash so many moves at once, Natsu."

"I've gotten much stronger since our last battle. If this keeps up, I'll beat you one day."

"Seems like it. Although first, you're gonna have to figure out how to deal with me when I fight back in earnest."

Happy listened to the two and their friendly banter. It had been nearly four months since he and Natsu had departed Magnolia. Their travels had taken them through much of the wild of Fiore, and Natsu's power had indeed increased considerably. His control over both lightning and crimson flame magic had improved tremendously, with fatigue becoming a nearly nonexistent issue. His normal magical abilities had been augmented as well, with his Fire Dragon magic taking on a whole new meaning of destructive. However, in order to achieve this power, Natsu had rigidly adhered to a daily training regimen. While Happy had no issue with such a schedule, it left little time for important duties such as completing jobs. The two mages had made a living solving other people's problems, and without this relatively steady flow of income, the two had found themselves resourceless in a matter of weeks. It was a tradeoff Natsu had gladly made, but Happy had been somewhat less ecstatic of the outcome. His main issue came not from their lack of money, but rather his own lack of growth. He had attacked his training with the same fervor as Natsu, putting in just as much time as the dragon slayer. However, the only result Happy had been able to determine was an increased endurance of Aera.

_I may still be useless, but at least I'll be useless in flight._ Happy thought sarcastically.

He sighed. His frustration didn't come from a place of jealousy or lack of patience, but rather a desire to attain his dreams. While he had reacted to his disappointing results maturely, it did not mean he was not upset. Turning his attention back to his companions, Happy noticed that once again, the two had gone from friends to combatants. Their voices raised, the two had sprung into a fearsome argument over the origin of clothing.

_The more things change, the more they stay the same._

* * *

Happy stared at the stars. Unable to sleep, he had watched the movement of the sky for some time, mesmerized by the movement of the celestial bodies.

_If Lucy were here, she'd probably be able to tell me which stars made up the constellations. _Happy chuckled to himself. He had no clue if celestial mages were required to understand the astronomy behind their magic, but he did know that he missed her and his other friends. As time had passed, he'd gotten better at dealing with his homesickness. Still, there were times the pain grew intense. Tonight seemed to be following that description. Thankfully, he'd also learned how to distract himself when these nights came.

Getting up from his sleeping place, Happy padded into the center of the clearing the trio had settled down in for the night. Glancing upwards, he nearly had to shield his eyes from the brightness of the full moon shining down at him.

_Aera_

Angelic wings sprouted from his back, and Happy ascended into the night sky. Rising with the warm air, he switched his gaze from the heavens back towards Earth. While they were deep in the depths of nature, Happy could still make out the distant glow of civilization, where streetlamps and fireflies added their different takes on illumination to the world. He let his eyes wander across the landscape underneath him, taking in the beauty of his perspective. Dropping down to tree-top level, he skirted the ceiling of the forest canopy as he flew in the direction of what he thought was south. He continued on for some time before his destination appeared on the horizon. Releasing his magic, Happy returned to the grip of gravity. Setting down at the border of the forest, he took a moment to confirm his location before stepping forward. Breaking through the remaining foliage in his way, the exceed walked to the edge of a cliff. Taking a seat on the edge, he looked out across its expansive view of the ocean.

Happy immediately felt himself at ease. The rush of waves on rock and smell of salt relaxed his mind. He'd found this spot during the first few weeks of his and Natsu's travels. The duo had been hopelessly lost, so Happy had tried to orient them by using the ocean as a guideline. While he had succeeded in getting them back on track, he had also discovered this outcropping, seemingly only accessible by air.

Looking at the reflection of the stars in the dark water below him, Happy felt isolated from the rest of existence. The calm he felt only served to accentuate this sensation.

"You're quite a ways from camp, Happy."

Stunned, Happy turned to see Gildarts walking towards him.

"Wha- but you – you were- how did you get here?"

Shrugging, Gildarts responded in a matter of fact manner. "I followed you."

"I just flew across an entire forest. How did you 'follow me?" Happy questioned, unbelieving.

"While I could take the time to explain, I think it's easier for both of us if we chock it up to me being myself. Sound good?"

Happy couldn't really argue with that logic. The man's power forced the entire town of Magnolia to change its layout upon his return to the guild hall just to avoid being destroyed in his wake. Knowing this, it wasn't too unthinkable that he had been able to keep up with the exceed.

Taking a seat beside him, Gildarts continued. "Besides, I feel like something's troubling you. I know you'd usually talk about your issues with Natsu, but there are some things I can help with that he may not be able to."

Turning to the man, Happy knew he was right, especially given his situation. Still, one thing confused him.

"Why are you so interested in my feelings?"

"Well, why're you so mopey? I don't remember you being so emotional back at the guild." Gildarts retorted, irritated. Coming to a premature conclusion, he quickly added, "You aren't going through some weird flying cat puberty, are you?"

"No! And that doesn't even exist!" Embarrassed by his reaction and Gildarts' assumption, Happy quickly returned to the original topic. "I miss the guild. I miss my friends… and I miss Carla."

"Oh. So you do have a thing for that young lady."

"Yes!" Happy exclaimed with exasperation. "But that's not the point. I don't really want to be out here. I want to be back in the guild with everyone."

"Then why don't you just fly back? He'd miss you, but it's not like Natsu needs you looking after him. I'm sure he'd understand if you told him you had to leave."

With a defeated sigh, Happy turned his gaze back to the sea. "That's the thing. I don't want to leave because I miss home. I want to leave because I don't know why I can't get stronger. All I'm doing is training, and instead of catching up, I'm falling even further behind! I'm sick of being weak. I want to be able to fight! I want to be able to challenge other mages and actually be able to beat them." Looking again at Gildarts, he added, "I want to be able to stand up to people like you."

Gildarts returned his gaze. He sat in silence, letting Happy's words sink in. Beginning to feel uncomfortable, Happy was almost relieved when the man spoke.

"I don't remember you being so selfish, Happy."

Taken aback, Happy wasn't sure how to respond. He stared, mouth agape, at the mage.

Gildarts continued. "If you go through life expecting everything to work out on the first try, you're never going to get anywhere. Nothing in this world that is worth having comes easily! If you want to get stronger, then train. If you want to get powerful, then train harder. Giving up's just a way for the entitled to avoid failure. You want to stand next to Natsu and the others on equal terms? Then be prepared to work for it, instead of expecting results instantly."

With that statement, the man placed his hand on Happy's shoulder. The exceed met his gaze, shame and embarrassment searing his face.

"I believe in you Happy. So does Natsu, and the rest of the guild. But if you don't believe in yourself, none of that matters. So stop flying away to hide from your problems. Put in the work, and solve them yourself." Softening his tone, Gildarts added, "You've already got me beat on flying. Now all you need to do is work on your left hook."

Overwhelmed by Gildarts' belief, Happy had to fight back tears as he let the mage's words sink in. He'd been so busy worrying about the future, he hadn't been working to change it in the present. He was still frustrated with his situation, but with those words, he could see how to fix it. Smiling, the exceed finally responded.

"Thanks, Gildarts."

Returning the gesture, Gildarts got up to leave. While doing so, he reached into his pocket and procured a small, opaque sphere. He took one final look at it before offering it to the exceed.

"What is it? A lacrima?" Happy asked in bewilderment.

"In some ways, yes. It can definitely store magical energy, although it kinda does it in a weird way. See, this is a special type of lacrima. It doesn't just store your power," Gildarts began. Motioning to his head, he continued, "It stores your memories – your emotions. Stores em' deep down and gives them context. You can use it to look back into the past and remember something, or to think about how to tackle something in the future. It's also got some other cool features, but I think part of the novelty comes with you figuring that out for yourself."

With a flick of the wrist, he tossed the lacrima towards Happy, who sprung up to catch it before it tumbled over the cliff face.

"But if it's so useful, why are you giving it to me?'

"Because you need it more than I do. Besides, I think you'll make better use of it than I can. Take it, just as long as you promise to knock off this sad act. Seriously, your name's Happy. Can you really expect me to fight you if you can't even hold a smile with a name like that?"

Laughter filled the night as the two shared their moment. Reinvigorated, Happy turned with a smile to the horizon, noticing for the first time the cabin lights of ships dancing on the waves.

"I can trust you to get back right?" Gildarts inquired.

"Aye, sir! But first I'm going to stay here a while. It's just so beautiful, and I don't know when I'm gonna get another chance to come out here. Might as well take my time, right?" Turning around, Happy realized that he was alone. Gildarts had vanished just as quickly as he had appeared.

Glancing at the lacrima he held in his paws, he decided to take the first step in his new direction. Focusing his energy, he poured the past few moments of his memory into the depths of the sphere.

* * *

Setting out early in the morning, the trio began their day with a trek up a mountainside. Hoping to determine their position amongst the trees, they had decided that height was their best chance of gaining their bearings. In line with their purpose, the three had also agreed that Happy would not use Aera to accomplish the otherwise simple task. After all, the three now had an equal motivation for training, and there were only so many chances the group would have to scale the face of a mountain. Through sweat, blood, arguments, and the occasional outburst of magic, the trio finally summited the peak sometime around midday. With the world laid out under their eyes, the three felt inspired to attack the day.

"Now that's what I'm talking about. I'm getting all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed, voicing the opinions of his companions.

"Aye! And with all the extra food we got from that monster, all we have to do now is focus on training!" Happy added, referencing the beast they had conquered the day prior.

The two partners were brimming with confidence as they started to descend the side of the precipice. Their minds were focused and their bodies were rested, and everything seemed to be headed in their direction. Seeing this in their spirits, Gildarts felt only mild disappointment once he realized their path led in a different direction than his.

"It looks like this is as far as we go together boys." He began, as the two turned with quizzical looks to meet his gaze. "I'm headed up north to finish off another dark guild, and it seems like the two of you aren't. I guess it's time for a goodbye. For now, at least," He reassured.

Nodding in agreement, the younger Fairy Tail members approached their senior for one last embrace before parting their separate ways.

The last twenty four hours had given the juniors a new inspiration for the coming months. While Natsu had been able to realize his newfound power against a worthy opponent, Happy had found a whole new outlook thanks to Gildarts' arrival. As the two reached ground level, and once again found themselves under the shade of Fiore's colorful foliage, the exceed looked around at their surroundings. To his surprise, the shadows cast by the branches above his head seemed to dance along the forest floor. Broadening his perspective, he noticed that the forest itself seemed to be alive. The sounds of nature electrified the air as the duo made their way through the undergrowth.

Maybe he was imagining it, but Happy thought that everything seemed to be just a little bit brighter that day.


	3. Chapter 3

Even with the wind buffeting his face, Happy couldn't suppress his smile. It had been nearly a year since he and Natsu had departed Fairy Tail to chase their goals, and while the two had encountered enough challenges to last a lifetime throughout their travels, the exceed had never felt the excitement he did now while away. Glancing at his partner, Happy knew that Natsu shared his sentiment. The dragon slayer's hair seemed to bristle with anticipation, and a confident smirk never left his face. As the two made their way through the crowded streets of Fiore's capital, Crocus, Happy couldn't help but reminisce.

"The last time we were here, all I got to do was sit in the sidelines. Don't get me wrong Natsu, you were fun to watch, but you sure made me worry."

"Worry? As if you ever doubted me. I didn't even break a sweat last time, and those were the best guilds in Fiore."

"Aye, although you still got pounded into the ground by those Sabertooth guys."

"All I remember is Fairy Tail taking the lead after I kicked their asses by myself, no thanks to Gajeel."

"Maybe you shouldn't have thrown him into a mining cart _during_ your fight then."

"You think I was gonna let him take the spotlight? Come on, Happy. You know those guys were pushovers."

The duo's laughter filled the air as they made their way towards the outskirts of the capital. While they enjoyed their nostalgia, the two were much more interested in the events of the present. Approaching a large staircase carved into the side of one of Crocus' nearby mountains, they heard the unmistakable echo of an announcer's voice broadcast through a communication lacrima.

"You think they're gonna let us fight, Natsu?"

The clattering of firecrackers and rising smell of gunpowder didn't delay the dragon slayer's answer.

"Who said I was asking permission?"

As the two reached the apex of their ascent, they heard the crowd for the first time. The rush of applause and roar of cheers seemed to welcome the two as returning heroes.

"Well if you're gonna go crazy, I guess I'll look for her. After all, that's the main reason we're here, right?"

Sparks flew from the parapets of the coliseum in front of them, staining the sky with streaks of gold and scarlet.

"Maybe, but I've got something else in mind also."

The four figures that adorned the numerically equal quarters of the stadium lit up with magical energy before each firing a beam of light into the sky. The beams met in the center of the arena before transforming into a welcoming banner.

"I had a feeling you were gonna say that. Sounds like this is gonna be exciting."

Looking up at the inscription in the sky, Happy started to laugh again.

"_**The Finals of the Grand Magic Games of X792 will now Commence!"**_

_It's good to be back._

* * *

Lucy sat in the observation row of the stadium known as Domus Flau. Playing host to the Grand Magic Games every year, the arena spared no expense towards its showmanship, and it did indeed show. The pyrotechnics and magical effects lighting up the sky were proof enough to display the effort the organizers had put into creating the event. Yet, even with the adrenaline fueled introduction, the celestial wizard remained unimpressed. Her distaste didn't stem from the demonstration going on around her, but rather the nature of the event she was attending.

Following the dissolution of Fairy Tail, Lucy had claimed a position as a reporter for _Sorcerer Magazine_ due to her past in a magical guild. Even though it had provided the income she needed to fill her stomach and her rent checks, it had failed in filling the void left by the departure of her friends. As she sat in the arena, Lucy thought back to a year earlier, when she had competed in the very contest she was now covering with the rest of her guild. Distracted from her thoughts, she barely recognized the voice of her boss and editor, Jason, over the crowd.

"Hello?"

Snapping out of her moment of self-pity, Lucy turned to meet his quizzical gaze.

"The finals are gonna start soon! Aren't you at least a little excited?"

Looking once again at the floor of the arena, Lucy let out a disgruntled sigh. "It's a total farce. Sure, the underdogs look weak – but they're all hiding their power for this final. Probably just to spike their numbers for the gamblers."

Her statement was proved correct as moments later the members of the guild Skull Millione decimated their opponent Dullahan Head. Astounded by the result, the naïve audience erupted with applause for the victors, leaving Lucy to her silent knowledge of the truth. She didn't really care about the result of the final, although the thought that a guild like Skull Millione would be crowned the best guild in Fiore made her stomach turn. As she prepared to leave, Lucy once again felt the absence of Fairy Tail. In her state, she almost ignored the announcer's next statement.

"**But what's this? A mysterious figure cloaked in darkness has appeared to challenge the victors!" **

Spinning around, Lucy spotted the subject of the announcer's outburst. Someone had indeed walked out onto the field to face the winners. Unfortunately for them, as Lucy could tell, this stranger was immeasurably stronger than the guild members he was facing.

As if to confirm her observation, the figure chose that moment to strike. Reaching out with one arm, they concentrated their magical power into the creation of –

_Flames!?_

Lucy felt like a knife had pierced her heart.

_There's only one person who wields fire like that… but it can't be. It just- it can't be –_

As the members of Skull Millione crumpled to the ground, a shockwave of heat reverberated around the stadium. Through the confusion and chaos, Lucy was able to identify one thing. The face of Natsu, standing in the center of Domus Flau.

"It's….him"

She'd barely had time to register this fact before a familiar voice sounded behind her. She didn't need to turn around to recognize its owner.

"Hey, Lucy. Long time no see."

"Happy!? What are you two doing here? And where the hell have you been!?"

"Well, it's a long story. I'm sure we'll get around to telling you, but on top of finding you, Natsu wanted to see what this year's champs were made of." The exceed looked down at the floor of the arena before adding, "He's still working on the modesty part of the whole power thing though."

_Modesty's the least of his worries right now,_ Lucy thought to herself as she surveyed her surroundings. The extreme heat created by Natsu's overzealous usage of magic had caused the arena itself to begin melting, and the occupants inside had bid a hasty retreat to the closest exits. Before long, Lucy found herself alone with the Fairy Tail duo. Already astonished by their sudden appearance, she was easily caught off guard by Natsu's casual approach.

"Yo, Lucy. It's been a while."

* * *

After an afternoon of justifying their actions in the Royal Court, Happy was relieved upon their acquittal. Thankfully, their actions during the last Grand Magic Games had not been forgotten, and thus he and Natsu had been let off with a warning to avoid destroying royal property in the future. While this had set the duo in good spirits, Lucy had been quick to dash their prospects with the news of Fairy Tail's dissolution. While Natsu had reacted in a characteristically violent fashion, Happy had unfortunately seen it coming. Not to say that he was not extremely disappointed about the news, but the signs had all pointed to some issue regarding his guild. The fact that Fairy Tail had not been present at the Grand Magic Games alone had signaled the error of the situation, and everything else he had observed had simply reinforced this assumption. Lucy had merely acted as the confirmation of his fears.

As day had turned to dusk, the reunited trio had returned to Lucy's new residence within the capital city to spend the night. Owing it to their hostess, the travelers had spent most of the evening beguiling Lucy with tales of their travels. Having discussed their run in with Gildarts, adventures in the mountains of the north, relentless training routine, occasional run-ins with bandits and dark guild members, and other events of note, the three had spent the night in a euphoric reunion that had reminded them all of the joy they had felt within their former guild. While this feeling had momentarily provided them with happiness, it had also reinvigorated the pain they felt about the loss of their home. Dealing with these feelings, Natsu and Happy were unable to sleep. The two laid in silence as the hours of the night waned.

"Where do we even start?" Happy voiced their shared concern.

"We've gotta find everybody! You can't have a guild without members." Natsu insisted, frustration laced throughout his words.

"But how?' Happy whined, betraying his newfound maturity with a childish whimper. While he had no doubt they would eventually return everything to normal, he had no clue as how to approach the situation.

_The first step's always the hardest._

Shaking the exceed from his thoughts, Natsu stood and moved towards a door adjacent from their sleeping positions. Following him, Happy recognized it as the entrance to Lucy's room. Moving through the opening, the two came to a silent stop as they noticed her lying asleep in bed. Unable to read his motives, Happy was curious when Natsu spoke again.

"How'd she manage to deal with all of this by herself? Especially when we left without even telling her where we were going. She was alone, Happy. Why didn't she look for anybody?"

Nodding in agreement, Happy understood Natsu's confusion. If either of them had been in her position, they would never have been able to sit in complacency as their friends disappeared. Although he also realized Lucy was much more mature than the two of them, Happy couldn't believe she had accepted her fate so easily. As he finished his thoughts, his eyes came to rest on a chart posted on the far wall. His eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room, it took him a moment to identify what it was. With a gasp, he suddenly realized what he was staring at.

"She did look for everyone Natsu. She never stopped looking…"

* * *

"-and that's it."

"And that's it!? Lucy you're a genius! With this, we'll get everybody back together in no time!"

"Well, I don't know how accurate all this information is, Natsu. For all I know they could be in different countries."

While Lucy was doing her best to dim their spirits, Happy shared in his partner's outlook. After discovering Lucy's notes on the locations of the other guildmembers, he and Natsu had spent all night studying them. They'd concluded that, while everyone had certainly been scattered following the breakup of the guild, they had at least some information on the whereabouts of each member. Unable to control himself, Natsu had shaken Lucy awake at the break of dawn. Receiving a kick to the groin in protest, it had taken a while longer before he was finally able to confirm their findings with her.

Having recovered from Lucy's strike, Natsu was brimming with positivity. "It looks like everyone is grouped up too! This'll be easier than we thought!"

While his statement was certainly optimistic, Happy shared in his belief. Looking at the chart in front of them, he could determine three major groupings of ex Fairy Tail members. One group, consisting of Erza, Gray, Juvia, Gajeel, and Lily, had been working towards the removal of a group known as Avatar. The second group, made up of most of the remaining members of the guild, had remained in Magnolia and the surrounding towns to take personal requests for work. The third group, comprised of everybody else, had been taken into the other guilds of Fiore. While they were probably the group whose members were easiest to locate, Happy couldn't help but worry when he saw Carla and Wendy among the subset. His thoughts were quickly disrupted by an outburst from Lucy.

"What the hell is the army doing here!?" With knowing eyes, she turned her gaze to Natsu before adding, "What did you do?"

With a mischievous smirk, Natsu met her look. "I left a message for everybody on the capitol building."

"_**YOU WHAT!?**_"

* * *

Approaching the decrepit monastery, the trio could feel the darkness that had inherited the once holy place. They had departed Crocus a week earlier after escaping the clutches of the royal guard. Leaving the message for the second and third groups to find its way on its own, they had left to track down the group hunting Avatar. Using his sense of smell, Natsu had discovered a trace of Gray's scent along the way, and the three had followed it to the structure looming before them.

"These dark groups really need to work on finding less cliché headquarters, don't you think?"

"Quiet, Natsu! We don't know what's going on in there. We don't even know if Gray is here!" Lucy's words seemed to be out of annoyance more than fear, but Happy agreed with her caution. They could easily be running blindly into a trap.

"Calm down, Lucy. I can smell him – I know he's in there." Natsu reassured.

"Let's focus on getting in before we start worrying about fighting anybody." Happy added. The monastery had no apparent entrance, and breaking in would attract the attention of everyone in the surrounding mile.

"Leave that to me."

With the other two looking on, Lucy pulled out her celestial summoning keys. With a flick of the wrist, she pulled one from the chain and raised it above her head.

_Celestial Summoning! _"Open, Gate of the Maiden!"

As Virgo, the spirit with the power to tunnel through the Earth appeared, Happy and Natsu were surprised to find Lucy using yet another technique.

_Star Dress, Virgo Form!_

Ignoring her companions' shock, Lucy sprang into action in tandem with her spirit. Passing straight under the monastery, they resurfaced in the basement of the building. As Happy and Lucy took note of their position, Natsu suddenly charged towards the far end of the room they'd appeared in. Receiving open mouthed stares from his companions, the dragon slayer slammed through the metal door at the end of the room.

"_**GRAY!? WHERE ARE YOU?" **_

"You idiot! The whole point of using Virgo was for us to get in here unnoticed." Lucy exclaimed, releasing her summoning of the spirit.

"That's Natsu for you." Happy responded in turn.

Following Natsu through the passage he had created, his companions readied themselves for a conflict.

Ignoring his friends' worries, Natsu led the way into a massive open room. Rows of benches sitting parallel along a single pathway created the appearance of a parish hall. Tapestries hung from different parts of the ceiling were illuminated by multicolored light shining through stained glass windows. Distracted by the magnificence of the space, the three failed to recognize the figure standing at the head of the great hall.

"You know, it's rather stupid to charge into a fight you have no hope of winning."

As all three spun to face the man who had made that statement, they were shocked to recognize his face.

"Gray?" they voiced in unison.

"Yo! It's been a while you ass. Aren't you even a little happy to see me?" Natsu asked, moving towards the ice mage.

While Natsu had seemingly missed the actual meaning of Gray's words, Happy had not. Sitting in silence, he tried to make sense of Gray's statement.

_What does he mean by fight? Doesn't he recognize us?_

He was brought back to reality as laughter erupted from Gray's place in the cavernous hall.

"You idiot! The three of you just walked straight into an ambush, and you're asking me if I've missed you?" As he spoke, trapdoors opened in the floor of the hall, and legions of men and women dressed in cloaks began emerging from their depths. "You're even dumber than I remember. Looks like you just got back from whatever you and that cat of yours were up to. Even Lucy showed up, huh? It's too bad Fairy Tail's no longer around. I can't really see you guys having a future without it. Guess I'll be merciful and give you a quick death so you won't have to figure it out for yourselves." Raising his arms above his head, he added with a smirk, "After all, we used to be friends, right?"

Happy felt a shiver run down his spine at Gray's words. Had their friend and former teammate succumbed to dark magic? What had caused him to threaten those he held closer than family? As the horde of followers descended on the shocked trespassers, Happy just sat and stared at the ice mage. Scanning his face for some sort of emotion, he was devastated to see nothing but sadistic intent. Recognizing his situation, Happy switched his attention to himself. Already having activated Aera, he began to channel magical power into his wings and arms. Reaching his apex, he prepared to unleash it.

_I'm not just gonna stand around this time! I'm – _

His thoughts were interrupted by a vicious scream as Natsu ran towards their forsaken comrade. The air itself seemed to shrink back from the dragon slayer as he released wave after wave of scorching heat from his body. With every step, flames erupted from the ground and cascaded towards the enemies filling the room. In moments, Happy found himself and Lucy standing in the eye of a firestorm.

Deciding against joining in the battle, Happy instead took hold of Lucy and ascended into the air. Heading towards one of the windows that moments earlier had illuminated a peaceful setting, Happy attempted to gain the attention of his passenger.

"Lucy!"

"Right!" With unspoken understanding, Lucy brought her feet around to take the impact of their impending collision.

With a brilliant explosion of color, the stained glass shattered into a collection of shards as the two flew through the frame that had held the window in place.

"Are you sure about leaving Natsu alone in there?" Lucy asked, her face painted with worry and concern.

While Happy hated the concept of leaving a friend alone to face an enemy, he knew that Natsu was more than capable of taking on his assailants. Additionally, the blazing inferno that was once the ancient monastery had proven to him that his gumption was correct.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I know Natsu can handle Gray, let alone those other guys. Besides, we'd have burnt up by now if we'd stayed." Landing a safe distance from the fire, Happy took a moment to secure their surroundings before switching his attention back towards her. "Trust me," He added with a reassuring smile.

Forcing a smile of her own, Lucy nodded in agreement. "They used to fight all the time anyway. I'm sure nothing too serious will come from it."

"Right. Now let's get moving. We won't help him just sitting around. I'll scout from the air and make sure no one else is sneaking up on us. What about your new magic? Anything you can think of?"

"I can work with Sagittarius and take down anybody you spot. Let's make sure Natsu doesn't have to deal with anybody else. For their sake, of course," she added with a wink.

Determined, the two broke apart and went into action. Pulling her chain of keys from her whip, Lucy took the one connected with the Gate of the Archer and raised it above her head. Meanwhile, Happy had shot up into the sky, and had focused his vision on the worn pathway leading to the monastery. Immediately spotting something, Happy called down to the celestial mage.

"Lucy! Something's close! It's just one person, coming in from the same place we did!"

As she and Sagittarius took aim at the point where the pathway led into the monastery's entrance, she spotted Happy's target. As the road itself was covered in dense foliage, it was nearly impossible to determine the identity of the person walking it.

"Stop! We will shoot if you continue forward!"

Rather than slowing down, the stranger changed their direction from the pathway towards Lucy herself.

"_**STOP!**_ _**ONE MORE STEP AND YOU DIE!"**_

Breaking through the dense undergrowth, the figure was finally identifiable. Her scarlet hair ablaze in the afternoon sun, Erza returned the astonished celestial mage's look.

"So, do you still want to shoot me, Lucy?"

**Author's Note: Hey all. First - I wanted to say I really appreciate all the reviews and support I've received for the story so far! Within this chapter I finally got to start breaking away from the canon in a way that didn't completely derail the story I've been trying to setup - and thus I spent about twice as long trying to finalize it! On top of that - I had surgery this past Monday to fix the last couple of things that were still messed up from an injury I received about two months ago - so overall everything got delayed - sorry :]. In the meantime - I wanted everyone to expect a little longer for the next chapter - I have university finals coming up next week and will be spending additional time preparing for them over the next few days - so my time for writing will be constricted. Don't worry if I do not update quickly - not only do I hope to still get a chapter out around the middle of next week - but with my final day of academia also comes a summer for writing. With all that said - thanks again for all of the support - and please enjoy! **

**\- Yoru **


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note - Hey all. Welcome back (or should I say welcome back to myself.) It hasn't been _too _long since I posted - but I did definitely get caught up in the ordeal that is university finals and the marathon that is returning home following the school year. Thankfully - Summer is in full swing so now I have time to put into writing again - although I'm enjoying the extra time I have to edit so I can't promise I'll be updating faster than before (please no pitchforks :[...). I don't want to write anything too long - just say there shouldn't be any more scheduled delays for a while. So with that said - please enjoy!**

**\- Yoru**

Fire is a distracting thing. You wonder how it seems so confusing until you're caught inside one. Because we focus on the heat, we don't realize we aren't breathing until we hit the ground. The air itself suffocates you, and slowly the world turns to black, as if death itself is swallowing you up. Fire doesn't just burn. It erases. It takes everything in an area and leaves behind nothing but a voided scar. At least we can say it is an unbiased force of nature.

Looking around the inside of the monastery, it would be easy for a spectator to despair at the sight. Beautiful architecture and art, gone in the blink of an eye. However, Gray felt an unexpected happiness at the sight of his new home's destruction.

_No, not home. Not even close to that. _He thought in response. _My home may not exist anymore, but that doesn't mean it's not where I belong._

This place had tested him. It had beaten him down with the knowledge of his actions, and betrayed his sense of honor and morality. Even now, as he saw the burning figures of the zealous followers of Avatar, he cowered at his reaction to their pain. They were unthinkably evil, and their beliefs presented a danger to innocent people throughout Fiore. And yet, Gray knew they were still humans themselves. They had dreams, and feelings, and while perhaps the ones they held were corrupt and dangerous, he still felt disturbed by his approval of their death. Perhaps approval was not the correct word to describe his emotions. He knew his actions weren't causing their pain, and he also knew that their death would help protect the innocents of their world. That knowledge was enough for him to understand that in the end, it was right. Still, maybe the reason he was struggling with the whole event was not because they were dying as traitors to humanity, but that they were dying as people who had failed to see the evil of their actions. Gray couldn't believe that these followers saw nothing wrong with the sacrificing of innocent people. It astounded him even further when he realized that it made them happy. For all of these reasons, Gray was glad that Natsu had been the one to end them. His nature was kind, and he saw the truth in difficult situations. Furthermore, his flames would erase the darkness from their hearts, and perhaps they would find a better purpose in another life. Still, while this prospect helped Gray to deal with his moral issues, the fact that Natsu was targeting _him_ did not.

Looking through layers of ice, Gray tried to make sense of his surroundings. The building itself had all but crumbled to ruins by the heat of Natsu's flames. While his ice had protected him from serious harm, it had also limited his movement, allowing Natsu the time to pound away at the protective shell surrounding the ice mage. Gray was certainly powerful, and his ice creation magic reflected that fact, but even his ice gave way to the heat of dragon flames. With one final strike, Natsu broke into the inner shell that Gray had created, trapping them both in a small hollow about 20 feet across. Meeting the dragon slayer's glare, Gray lowered his defensive posture. With his responsibility to appear as a follower of Avatar gone, he had no reason to appear as an enemy. Furthermore, he had a good guess to Natsu's next action. He was pleased when his prediction was confirmed moments later.

"What's wrong with you Gray!? Screw trying to fight us – you don't care about Fairy Tail? What happened to you?' Natsu relaxed his own stance before adding, "and what do you mean 'used to be friends?"

"Listen, Natsu, I forgot I was such a good actor, alright? I didn't mean any of the things I said there, but it's gonna take a while for me to explain everything going on here, okay? First off, we gotta get out of here. Now," he pressured, hoping that the dragon slayer would trust him despite his recent actions.

Releasing his hold on the ice surrounding them, Gray let the remaining crystals disappear before once again waiting for a response.

"We're not going anywhere before you tell me what the hell's going on here."

With a sigh, Gray realized he had a point. It was fair of Natsu to demand answers. After all, he _had_ just tried to kill him and his friends. While the ice mage wanted nothing more than for the two of them to return to life as normal, it seemed impossible at the current moment. He missed Fairy Tail, and the opportunities it gave him. Hell, he even missed having to interact with Natsu on a daily basis. Maybe that was why it'd been so hard for him to call him out earlier in the monastery. After all, while they had a natural rivalry that was even accentuated by their magic's properties, they were still guildmates and friends. Glancing to his side, he was pleasantly surprised to spot a figure walking towards them, an additional two companions in tow.

"Fine, but she'll explain it better than me."

* * *

"And with that, Avatar's gone. In theory at least. There are still some remaining members, but as of now they're no longer a main threat to Fiore."

Erza finished her explanation with a contented sigh. Finally, their mission was at an end. Six months ago, herself, Gray, and a few of the other guild members had been "recruited" to eliminate the threat Avatar brought to the world. Their zealous behavior was concerning enough, but once they had learned of their plans to sacrifice innocent people to summon the dark mage Zeref, Erza and her fellow ex-guildmates had needed no additional motivation to deal with them. While she and Gray had worked to track and evaluate the actions of the group based in the now destroyed monastery, the others consisting of Juvia, Gajeel, and Lily had done the same with a group hidden in the mountains to the North. Eventually, Gray had needed to infiltrate the group himself in order to confirm their suspicions, and using the intelligence he gathered, the remaining four had worked in tandem to take the followers apart. Juvia, Gajeel, and Lily had successfully eliminated their faction about a month earlier, following an incriminating report of their security discovered by their mole, Gray. While this had proven easier than expected, the group's job had been complicated by the sudden arrival of additional forces to the monastery following the other faction's destruction. Unwilling to take on the group alone, Erza and Gray had been waiting for their three comrades to come back them up. Luckily for them, Natsu had provided their solution for them, and with the destruction of the second faction, Avatar no longer provided a significant threat to the rest of the world. Having sent word to Juvia's team, the groups had decided to reconvene in Magnolia, and hopefully find the rest of Fairy Tail waiting for them – thanks to Natsu's earlier actions.

Having found a caravan of merchants moving in their same direction, the team had hitched a ride following some… unique negotiations by Erza. As the group sat in the back of a covered wagon, she glanced with both humor and joy at the motion-sick dragon slayer. While she was thankful for his unintentional assistance in completing their task, she couldn't begin to express her gratitude for his actions to recreate their guild. Even though he had yet to actually do anything, his arrival seemed like the catalyst required for legitimate action to be taken. It wouldn't be Fairy Tail without Natsu. She amended that conclusion once she remembered the three other companions riding along with them. Lucy, Happy, and Gray were just as important to the health of the guild as Natsu, and without them, Fairy Tail would never return in the way she wished it to. As she sat appreciating her friends, she remembered the man who had originally called for their help in dealing with Avatar. It was difficult for her to forget Jellal, but the recent events had pushed him to the back of her subconscious, if only for a little while.

_I'll have to let him know what happened. _Erza thought, lying to herself about the reason she wanted to see him. As her heart rate increased at the thought, she once again found herself thinking of her past. While she had gotten better at allowing her friends into her emotional life, her history still provoked a conflicted response from her senses. This time however, Erza found it easier to focus on the positives. Fairy Tail seemed to have a future again, and if something that had appeared impossible only weeks earlier was now seemingly imminent, there was no reason why she would be unable to accomplish other "impossible" things as well. Perhaps one day she would be able to have her friends and her peace.

Looking out at the setting sun, Erza took comfort in the shades of red falling across the sky. Rows of color stained the clouds in a vibrant display of nature's capabilities, and for the first time in a long while, the female mage felt something other than just self-imposed hope. Rather, she felt a certainty that everything would eventually return to normal.

As she closed her eyes to rest, Erza took one last look at the fading sun. Beforehand, she would have probably described its effect as staining the sky with blood, or some other angst filled description that reflected her inner struggle. Now however, she found another word to fit its impression.

Scarlet.

* * *

Happy was bounced awake by the movement of the wagon over unstable ground. Having the courtesy to refrain from the profanity filled outburst he really wanted to make, he turned onto his side in an attempt to find another sleeping position. Instead, his eyes fell on Lucy, who was sitting on the edge of the wagon looking up at the stars. Climbing gently over the dark figures of his sleeping friends, Happy made his way over to her side.

"What's the matter, Lucy? Can't sleep?"

The celestial mage jumped at his words, but quickly relaxed once she realized his presence.

"Don't sneak up on me Happy, geez!" Lucy scolded, before turning her gaze back to the night. "I'm not really tired to be honest. After everything that went on today, I guess I'm just too excited to sleep. It feels like everything's back to normal again.'

"We told you we could do it! All we have to do now is get back to Magnolia, and everything's gonna take care of itself."

"I sure hope so. After today, I think anything could happen at this point." Shifting her focus to the exceed sitting beside her, Lucy changed her tone. "By the way, thanks for saving me earlier. I know how hard it was for you to leave Natsu alone, so I really appreciate your help. Especially because I'm not very fireproof," she added with a laugh.

"Of course Lucy! Friends have to look out for each other, right? Besides, I told you Natsu could handle everything! Man, I can't wait to get back home now. We're gonna go back to going on jobs, and getting money, and eating good fish!"

Laughing in agreement, Lucy met Happy's smile with her own. "Yeah, everything's going to finally be back to normal."

"Yeah!"

"Yeah." With that, Lucy leaned against the side of the wagon and closed her eyes.

Happy mirrored her actions. Lost in thought, he tried to project into the future. Once they returned to Magnolia, they'd have to determine if the guild hall was still usable, if it was even still around. They'd also have to track down the rest of the guild members who either hadn't gotten the message or were playing hard to get. After all, they couldn't have Fairy Tail without the entirety of the guild. It just wouldn't be the same. If that all worked out, which he was hopeful it would, they'd then have to reestablish their reputation through work. People would probably remember them, so they wouldn't have the hardest time finding jobs to do, but it would take a while for everything to really return to what it had been in the past. That's what he thought would happen at least, but there were also plenty of different scenarios that were equally likely to occur.

_Geez I'm so bad at this. _Happy criticized, lost in thought. _It's not like I can't plan ahead or anything. I just don't know why it's so hard to predict the future. Other people do it all the time. Then again, I guess this is kinda more complex then what the fortune teller at that café does. There's all these variables and different outcomes – It's not like I'm trying to figure out how one thing will end up. Maybe it's magic! Wait… no. That doesn't make sense. I mean, yeah, I guess you could use magic to figure things out, but that doesn't mean you can see the future. Nobody's clairvoyant rig-_

He did it again. Every time he thought about the future, or somebody else thinking about the future, or somebody else talking to somebody else about the future, he thought of her. He remembered how sweet her words sounded to his ears, how the smell of light perfume was, as she put it, "just enough to be noticeable without being classless." He remembered the bright pink bow she wore on the tip of her tail, and how every outfit that went with it seemed to accentuate just how beautiful she really was. Every time he did this, and it hurt. But tonight seemed worse. It didn't take him long to figure out why. Everything was returning to normal, with his friends and his guild becoming a reality again. And she was still gone.

"Carla…" He whispered into the night, fighting back tears that had sprung up at his memory.

_I've gotten stronger. I know I have. So why does this still hurt so much?_

Happy stared at the wooden floor of the wagon, trying to calm himself down.

"You miss her, don't you?"

Startled, Happy looked up to see Lucy smiling sympathetically at him. He had absolutely no clue how she'd heard him, especially because he thought she had been asleep.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Come on Happy. It's pretty obvious when you say her name out loud."

Giving up the act, Happy sighed in defeat. "Aye."

"Don't worry about it too much. After all, look at everything that's happened over the past couple of days. Just think about it from my perspective! You guys both came back out of the blue, and we found Gray and Erza right after. Imagine how lonely I felt about everything, and now everything is looking up! I bet the same thing will happen with her."

"I know Lucy, it's not that I don't think it will. It's just that I miss her _now._"

The two shared an understanding look for a moment, before Lucy responded in turn.

"How do you think I felt about you and Natsu? Every day I hoped you'd come back, and even though I knew eventually you would, it didn't help with the pain. But then finally you did." Seemingly distracted, she continued on, "After an entire year, you finally came back. I was so glad when I saw you in the arena, I just wanted to throw my arms around you and scream." She paused again before concluding with, "Don't ever do that again, Natsu." Having finished her thought, Lucy looked up again to see the exceed smiling mischievously at her.

"Thanks, Lucy. But, what was that last part again?" Even when distracted by sadness, Happy would never pass up the opportunity to punish Lucy for her absent-minded confessions.

It took a moment for the celestial mage to realize the meaning of his statement. When she did, her warning was accompanied with a venomous stare.

"Happy – **NO.**"

But it was already too late for her. With a masterful elongation of syllables, Happy landed a devastating blow.

"You like him."

* * *

As the five stood in front of the guild hall, their hopes were high. While the building itself showed no signs of life inside, its external appearance was enough to impress upon the spectators the vitality left within its aged construction. Having found their guild's signature tapestry preserved in the town hall, the group had, with the help of Happy's Aera, once again hung the fairy symbol from the front of their home. Meanwhile, Natsu had gone ahead and confirmed that the inside of the hall held no occupants. With all of these preliminary measures having been accomplished, only one last thing needed to be done. Taking hold of Natsu, Happy flew to the center of the hall's bell tower.

As the two stood looking out over the skyline of Magnolia, the sun burst through the clouds that had accumulated over the sea to the South. As rays of light shined down, the large bell was illuminated. In seconds, a brilliant reflection of the city appeared on its brass covering. Inspired by the moment, Natsu and Happy took this as a cue to begin. Each taking a rope in their hands, the two began to pull in rhythm. The giant metallic clapper swung into the rim of the bell, filling the air with the ringing of Fairy Tail's revival.

* * *

Juvia's team was the first to arrive. Following the information they'd gotten from Erza, she, Gajeel, and Lily appeared the day after the former and her team had reclaimed their hall. Short to follow were members of the second group of fairies that had comprised those who had stayed in Magnolia to look for work. While not all had heard of Natsu's debacle of a message in Crocus, the ringing of the only bell tower in town had piqued their interest. The joy they felt at the discovery of their guild transcended every individual, and the air was filled with cheers and excitement. As the days passed by, the remaining stragglers made their way around. The members of the third and last group from Lucy's notes, those who had looked for other guilds to join, were understandably the last to arrive. It wasn't that they were unaware of the guild's return. Once the news of Fairy Tail's rebirth had been made public, it had made its way throughout Fiore incredibly quickly. Instead, the members of this group had needed to make difficult decisions about abandoning their new homes. Certainly they all wanted to return to Fairy Tail, but doing so would fly in the face of the generosity they had received from the guilds which had taken them in. Luckily, these guilds in turn were understanding, and soon enough, Fairy Tail's hall was once again bustling with the activity of a nearly full guild.

As Happy sat taking part in the social scene at one of the recently reclaimed long tables, he looked out around the drinking hall. Cana was once again consuming her trademark amount of alcohol. Elfman and Mirajane were discussing the manliness of Fairy Tail's return. Natsu and Gray were battling in the corner. It was as if he had never left the guild a year ago. Everything seemed perfect, except for one striking thing.

Carla and Wendy were still gone.

While he had been able to ignore this fact due to the chaotic characteristics of the past few days, he still found himself coming back to it continuously. There was no way they had not heard the news yet, and certainly no reason that they couldn't have made it to Magnolia in the time since. While this issue was still pressing, Happy knew the guild had bigger worries to attend to. Work was there, but it was still slow in coming. Additionally, the guild hall was certainly usable, but a year of neglect had caused some significant damage. Happy could truly look at the ceiling and watch as pieces of the supports fell down through the rafters. The guild was doing its best to get everything in working order, but it would still take some time before everything was back in perfect shape. As he sat pondering the many issues the guild faced, Happy turned to see Gajeel walking through the main entrance. The dragon slayer wasn't just upset. He looked absolutely furious about something. Approaching Erza, he seemed to attract the attention of everyone in the room.

"Those bastards at Lamia Scale poached our job!"

"What do you mean 'poached?" Erza questioned, voicing the confusion of the rest of the hall.

"Six million jewel for an errand run. All we had to do was escort some old geezer from point A to point B. When we showed up, he was already gone – Lamia Scale took him!"

"There's nothing wrong with getting to a job before the competition, Gajeel. Although we need the money, it's not like Lamia cheated the system." Erza explained in return. Even though their actions were justified, no one within Fairy Tail was pleased with the news. They guild needed funding, and soon.

"I don't care if it's by the rules or not, Erza. The next time I see a Lamia Scale around here, they're getting it!"

As the rest of Fairy Tail clamored in support, mainly due to the fact that it had been well over a day since the last time a good fight had started, it was easy for everyone to ignore the two figures that had just walked in through the hall's front door. As the taller of the two walked forward, she attracted the attention of the nearby Lucy.

While Happy was too far away to hear exactly what Lucy said, he determined it to be important as soon after the rest of the guild had turned to face the newcomer.

"You're back!"

"Finally!"

"We missed you!"

"Wendy's here!"

Now understanding, Happy rushed to the front of the crowd. Wendy stood with a nervous expression on her face, shifting her feet under the gaze of the guild.

"I-I'm really s-sorry about all of that Gajeel. I just wanted to do something for Lamia Scale before leaving, especially because they were so generous to us after Fairy Tail broke up. I-I didn't know you were going for the same job. If I did, I would've let you take it, I promise! I knew that six million jewel would help a lot, so I did the job and gave them the money. I'm r-really sorry!" With her last words, she broke down into tears.

Gajeel, with an embarrassed expression and shamed conscious, quickly tried to mediate the situation. "Oh… don't worry about it Wendy. I didn't know it was you, after all. We're totally fine…"

As the guild erupted into laughter at his response, another familiar voice spoke up as Wendy's companion moved to her side.

"Wendy, how many times do I need to tell you? Nobody will respect you if you don't take yourself seriously. Besides, you know all of these people already! Why are you so nervous?"

Happy's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice. It seemed as if history was repeating itself in an ironic way. He remembered the last time Wendy had introduced herself to Fairy Tail members.

The white exceed continued moving forward, accepting with some minor irritability the praise she received for her return.

Happy remembered the first time he'd seen her. His heart hadn't stopped pounding for hours.

Meeting his astounded stare for the first time, she started walking towards him.

She was just as beautiful, just as elegant, and just as alluring.

Speaking directly at him for the first time, she smiled. "Hello, Happy. It's been a while."

He didn't need to remember anymore.

"Carla…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: And following some technical issues regarding my "craptop" - I've been able to finish the 5th chapter. I will hesitantly say I reserve the right to edit the last portion of this segment due to some still undecided plot plans for the future - but as of now I am happy with the progression, and hopefully you will be as well! Again - I'd like to take the time to thank everyone who has provided support for the story - It is always refreshing to see appreciation even if this is for my own enjoyment. Enough with my blabbering though - please read and enjoy!**

**\- Yoru **

Happy was awakened by sunlight streaming through the crumbling ceiling. While the house he and Natsu called home was certainly not in good shape before their departure, it had taken even further punishment during their absence. Cracks in the foundation had appeared, windows had shattered, and termites had laid waste to the wooden supports holding the roof above their heads. If this was not enough, the running water they had managed to engineer into their dwelling had been interrupted, leaving them without a working shower or other hygiene related appliances. These issues seemed not to bother the exceed however, as he padded into the building's foyer without even a care to the puddles of water that had accumulated throughout the night. Absentmindedly placing a few things into his pack, he took one last glance around the room as if to collect his bearings before slipping through the front door. Walking into the nearby forest, he spent the next few minutes underneath the swaying canopy, accompanied only by the sound of wind and birdsong. Breaking through a collection of cattails, he emerged at the bank of a creek. Placing his things in the nook of a nearby willow, he slowly waded into the chilling waters. The creek itself was just deep enough for a full grown man to submerge himself, so the exceed quickly found himself treading water. Slipping beneath the surface, Happy dug his paws into his fur, working out the clumps of dirt and hair that had collected over the past few days. The waters seemed to remove him from reality, teleporting him to a void wherein only he and the current existed. The silence that met his senses only served to reinforce this perception. Resurfacing, Happy made his way towards the shore. Pulling himself from the current, he made his way towards his belongings. Taking a knife from within the pack, he quickly swept the blade under each of his claws, removing the grime that had built up. Upon finishing this beautification, he switched to managing their utility, using the knife as a makeshift whetstone for which to sharpen them. Finally finished, Happy returned the blade to its original space before taking a seat against the trunk of the willow he had used to contain his belongings. His fur was still dripping water from his informal bath, and a crisp gale had sprung up to ruffle his already cold body. Happy didn't feel any discomfort though. He couldn't even wipe the smile from his face.

He'd been unable to sleep the night before. Excitement and happiness had kept his mind hotwired throughout the night, blocking even the thought of rest from his consciousness. Instead, the only thing on his mind had been Carla. For the first time in over a year, she was back in his life. While this had motivated him to address his appearance, which while still suitable had certainly declined following his adventures over the past week, it had mainly put him in a blissful disposition. He sat giggling like a school girl as he thought about the female exceed. Happy knew that now, with his maturity and love in check, he had the ability to show her how he truly felt. While his feeling were certainly not misconstrued, he had never been truly honest with her about his emotions. In the past, their relationship had been one of close friends, having developed after their experiences in Extalia. They had shown concern for each other's safety, happiness, and overall well-being, but neither side had truly shown love. This fact was not lost on Happy, and as he sat thinking about the future, he felt a twinge of nervousness at the concept of admitting his feelings.

_There's no reason to worry about it right now. We've barely talked since she came back anyway. _Happy reassured himself. Carla and Wendy's return to the guild the previous day had brought on a round of celebrations. While he had desperately wished to spend time with Carla, Happy had also been caught up in the activities of the afternoon. His head still pounded just a little at the remembrance of yesterday's festivities. The games, dancing, and drinking had taken a toll on all of Fairy Tail, and the guild had decided to take the day off in respect to their own health, thus allowing Happy the time to reminisce and care to his appearance. Reaching into his pack once more, he pulled out the lacrima which Gildarts had given him many months earlier. Many memories had since been deposited into its opaque depths, and every now and then Happy took the time to relive each one, in order to remember the lessons he had learned over the past year. Today, he took the time to deposit his memory of the previous day, partially in fear that his clouded conscious would forget his reaction to seeing Carla again.

As his memory flowed into the sphere held in his paws, so too did his emotions through his body. Happy felt the warm ecstasy of excitement spring up in his stomach, and heat flush his face. His heart began racing again, and his breathing seemed incessant. As Carla's face appeared in his thoughts, pure joy raced through his skin, and every neuron in his body seemed to fire at the thought of her in his arms. As he had thought, his memory soon began to cloud as the day went on, and eventually his thoughts no longer connected in a way that brought context to his feelings. Ending his stream of memory, Happy looked down at the lacrima. To his surprise, a pinkish hue appeared within it. He watched in awe as streams of color raced within the confines of the sphere, circling around one another at an ever increasing speed. Eventually, the multiple lines came together to form a solid circle of emotional energy. Sparks began to shoot out from the circle, spreading a film of glittering particles throughout the sphere. With a final display, the circle that had formed seemed to implode before sending out a calm wave of color that filled the globe, before dissipating once again into a cloudy white appearance. Drawing a simple connection between the meaning of the color and his own emotional context, Happy smiled. As Gildarts had said, the lacrima held many secrets that he had needed to figure out for himself. While depositing and accessing memories was thankfully straightforward, Happy had learned to use the lacrima for a few other processes along the way. He could deposit dreams from his sleep, thoughts of the future, and even record messages for himself through speaking. This was the first time Happy had seen the lacrima react to his own feelings. Questioning whether the object itself had somehow felt the same way he had, the exceed took a moment to think about what he had just witnessed. Unable, and frankly unwilling to spend the time to figure it out, Happy simply smiled again. Regardless of the reason for the lacrima's spurt of emotion, he found it fitting that its debut had been brought on by his feeling for Carla.

* * *

Early the next morning, Happy and Natsu made their way towards the guild hall. Trying to find a job before the other members, Natsu had insisted they get there as soon as possible, and so the two had agreed to leave at the break of dawn. Walking through the empty streets of Magnolia, the partners mirrored each other's silence in respect for the sleeping occupants of the buildings surrounding them. As they appeared at the foot of the steps leading towards the hall's main entrance, Natsu finally spoke.

"Time to get some action again. I wonder what the toughest job available is…" With a twinkle in his eye, the dragon slayer added, "I didn't even get to fight Gray last time, and those guys at the Grand Magic Games were a joke. Let's find something exciting, Happy. I'm riling for a good brawl."

Nodding in agreement, Happy responded. "Aye! I haven't even gotten to use any of my new power, and it's been so boring watching you run around having all the fun again."

Stepping through the twin grand doors that led the way into the guild hall, the partners planned to quickly make their way towards the request board. As it was early in the morning, they weren't expecting anybody to be inside the hall. They were thus surprised to see nearly the entire guild clamoring in front of the wooden board.

"I'll be taking that-"

"No you won't! I saw it first-"

"Get your hands off that – that's all mine!"

With unbelieving expressions, Happy and Natsu turned to each other in disbelief. "What now…?"

At that moment, Erza broke through the crowd and made her way towards the duo. With a characteristic demanding of presence, she quickly gained the two's attention. "I've got us a job, but we need a team to finish it."

Swinging his fist into the air, Natsu couldn't hide his excitement. "Awesome. Let's get rolling Erza. You, me, and Happy. I can't wait to burn off some of this steam I've got, I'm all fired u-."

He was interrupted by a sharp tug of his scarf by the scarlet haired woman. "That won't be enough. I've already gathered the other members, and we're heading out soon. But first I want to go over the plan with you all."

As she dragged Natsu towards one of the long tables, Happy felt a great surge of relief that he was not the target of her strength. Following a few steps behind them, he wasn't surprised when he saw the members Erza had collected for their team. Sitting at the table were Gray, Lucy, and to his excitement, Wendy and Carla. Taking a seat by the female exceed, Happy turned to her with a smile.

"Good morning, Carla. You guys got up early too, huh?"

With a neutral expression, she returned his look. "Indeed. It's only right to get back to work as soon as possible. Sitting around doing nothing is useless."

"Right." Forcing a laugh at her comment, Happy tried to engage her in other topics. "So how did you sleep? Good breakfast? How abo-"

To his disappointment, Erza chose that moment to speak up. From the head of the table, she addressed the collection of mages sitting at the table.

"Okay everyone, listen up. The job we're going on is simple. There's a town called Myoki that's having issues with some bandits. While that typically wouldn't be a big issue, apparently they got ahold of some dark magic and have been using it to take control of the town's leadership. They've threatened to kill anyone who doesn't listen to them, and so the townsfolk have had to give up everything in order to stay safe. One of their councilmen has asked for a guild to step in and deal with them, and we're going to be that guild. Any questions?"

Everyone voiced the same concern. "What's the reward?"

With a knowing smile, Erza responded. "Thirty million jewel."

"_**WHAT!?"**_

* * *

As day began to give way to dusk, the travelers decided to make camp. Stopping at the edge of a lake, they began to settle in for the night. A firepit was quickly prepared, and using a combination of Natsu's magic and Erza's lumberjack requip, the team soon found themselves with a hearth to gather around. Following an ill-prepared dinner of whatever they could find in the nearby forest and water, the team began to retire, each choosing a separate sleeping location around the small clearing they had gathered in. As Happy finished preparing his own space, he noticed Carla walking along the lakeside. Taking his cue, he quickly activated Aera, and within moments was swooping down towards her side. Attempting to remain nonchalant, he opened with a classic.

"Hey, Carla. You think there are any good fish in there?"

"Happy, I honestly believe if you were given the opportunity to marry a mackerel, you would."

_Ehh… that's not my first choice of spouse. _He thought to himself. "Okay, I like the way they taste. But that doesn't mean I'm obsessed with them!"

"Perhaps, although you'll have to prove it before I believe it."

"And how's that going to work?" Happy questioned, amused.

"That's for you to decide." Carla answered with a flick of her tail.

"Aye. Anyway, it's getting late. Aren't you tired? Everyone else has gone to sleep already."

"Not particularly. I guess I just don't feel like sleeping right now."

Happy's eyes clouded with concern as multiple different scenarios flooded his mind.

_Is she ill? Perhaps she's upset about something. What if she wants to be alone? No... what if she want me to comfort her? How do I know how to approach it? What if she doesn't want me to help and I make a fool of myself? WHAT IF SHE ENDS UP LEAVING AGAIN!? _

Happy's partial mental breakdown took full control of his perception, and he was momentarily unaware of Carla's questioning gaze cast upon him. Shaking out of his trance, he turned his head to see the female exceed looking at him, seemingly annoyed.

"Earthland to Happy? Hello? Are you paying attention?"

Embarrassment seared his face as Happy realized he had completely missed her last statement. As red stained his cheeks, he quickly blurted out the only response he could think of.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about you again."

"I beg your pardon?'

Happy's consciousness shut down for a moment, as every ounce of his mental strength was placed into determining if he had really just said that aloud. Once the separate cells that made up his brain came to a unanimous conclusion that he had, his body immediately began to react to the alarming rise of body temperature he was experiencing. Sweat sprung up on his brow, and his heartrate doubled instantly. His face now beet red, he tried desperately to avoid Carla's look.

"Uhhhhhh…. Sorry I didn't mean it like that. I mean I did- no wait. I meant I was trying to figure out if there was anything I could do for you- not in a weird way! Just… if you weren't okay if there was something I could do to help."

To his surprise and relief, she broke into a laugh. Even given the circumstances, he found himself focusing on how beautiful that sound was.

"AHAHAHAHA… Oh my Happy. I've never seen you so caught in your words. Are _you _alright? Because out of the two of us, I'm not the one I'm worried about right now."

"Err… heh yeah I'm fine."

An awkward silence emerged between the two as Carla stared with raised eyebrows at the stumbling male. Internally, Happy was still focusing on damage control, attempting to salvage the situation through some act he had yet to think of. Eventually, Carla was the one to break the mounting tension.

"I missed you, Happy."

Meeting her gaze again, he stared into her eyes. He felt as if he could lose himself in their depths. "I missed you too."

"And you deserve to know that I hated you for a while."

Shocked, Happy wasn't sure how to respond. Frankly, he wasn't aware of what he'd done to deserve such a reaction. Treading carefully, he attempted to clarify.

"Why?'

"You left, without even saying where you were going. Fairy Tail disappeared, and so did you. I guess I just assumed you would have told me if something was going to change." Pausing for a moment, Carla turned her face towards the lake. The reflection cast by the myriad of stars hanging in the sky seemed to illuminate her. "You and I had grown so much closer. When I heard of Fairy Tail's dissolution, I was heartbroken. But when I heard of your departure, I felt alone."

Understanding caused Happy's face to burn for a different reason this time. He'd known that leaving her in the dark wasn't the proper thing to do, but he hadn't realized the impact if would have on her, especially given the circumstances of Fairy Tail's disbandment.

"I-I'm sorry, Carla. I knew telling you was the right thing to do, but for some reason I just never did. I guess I assumed Fairy Tail was going to be there when I got back, and you'd be there too, so saying goodbye was really only a formality at the time. No - It wouldn't be a goodbye. It'd be a 'see you later.' I couldn't imagine having to say goodbye to you. Maybe that's why. No, I know it is. I couldn't say goodbye to you because it would've hurt too much. You mean so much to me, and I just don't know how I would've been able to explain to you I was leaving for so long. I promise you that's the truth, and I'll never forgive myself if I've made you think I don't care about you. You're my friend. You're one of my _best _friends. I-I don't know how I could have possibly treated you so poorly. I'm sorry, Carla. So, so sorry."

As tears began to form in his eyes, Happy also noticed movement in his peripheral vision. Turning his head, he nearly collided with Carla's as she wrapped her arms around him. His eyes shot open and his breathing stopped as he felt her soft form intertwined with his.

"It's alright, I forgive you. I know who you are, Happy. You wouldn't try to hurt me, and I knew you'd come back eventually." With a playful smirk, she looked into his eyes. "You seem to forget I have a useful gift of clairvoyance."

"Y-yeah. I guess so." He murmured in response. His mouth agape and arms still by his side, Happy could barely comprehend what was happening. The world around him seemed to vanish as only he and Carla remained. Her smile enraptured him, and her touch was enough to deafen his senses. Taking in his whole perspective, he noticed how soft her lips seemed, and how beautiful her eyes really were. Lowering his head, he unintentionally brushed his nose against hers, and the two instinctually smiled at the sudden contact.

In the same instant, a look of embarrassed recognition seemed to appear on Carla's face. Pulling away from him, she turned her face to hide an emerging blush.

"Nevermind that. What's done is done, and I harbor no harsh feelings towards you. So let's return to the way we were and focus on the future instead of the past, alright?"

"A-alright."

Walking back to their camp in silence, the two exceeds shared nothing more that night. As Happy laid himself on his makeshift sleeping bag, he quickly procured the lacrima from the depths of his pack.

* * *

Carla lay staring at the swaying boughs above her head. Every time she thought back to her actions the previous hour, she mentally slapped herself. Her sophisticated approach to life left her with very little patience for slip-ups in self-discipline, and her sudden embrace of Happy had been completely reactionary.

_All you had to do was smile and nod, Carla. _She told herself. Unable to believe the way she'd acted, she attempted to recount the event again. The moment she'd seen those tears, her body had no longer been under conscious control. She'd been willing to do anything to make that pain go away, and thus she'd rushed forward to comfort him. She hadn't even been aware that she was doing it until she was prying herself away. Even more terrifying was the feeling she'd felt in their embrace. It had been like electricity, and she'd felt it in every vein of her being.

_I don't understand. What happened? Why did I feel __**that **__way?_

While she wanted desperately to be upset with herself for failing to remain dignified, she wanted even more to understand what she was feeling. Self-criticism paled in comparison to the confusion she was facing. Unable to explain the embarrassment she felt, she tried to explain it logically. When that failed, she tried to blame the nature of her actions. Eventually, she settled on the true cause. It was Happy.

_What did he think? I just… THREW myself at him, with abandon! He must've thought I'd gone crazy! How could I let myself act so foolishly in front of him? What a fool. Stupid, stupid fool._

As she lay tossing and turning, Carla tried to make sense of her emotions. This only caused her confusion to mount.

She had never, _ever_, felt such an emotional response to being around someone before. When she thought of Happy, she thought of him as a close friend. She felt guilt around her actions towards him at the beginning of their relationship, where she had brushed him off as nothing more than a simple tomcat. She even still cringed at her refusal to call him by his real name. While she had made an effort to open up to him following his help in Edolas, she had thought that they were still just friends. If anything, she was even more confused as to why she'd felt such a reaction after he had left without a word for a year. As her emotions continued to battle in the maelstrom that was her mind, she felt her stomach twist and her face heat up. She had absolutely no idea what was happening to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Through the glare of the rising sun, the travelers could just make out the skyline of Myoki in the distance. Their day long journey had brought them many miles from Magnolia, as their surroundings indicated. This was no longer the bustling coastal region of Fiore. In fact, skyline was an optimistic term to use for the town's outline, as from the view of the spectators only a few buildings seemed to have more than a ground floor. Walking along the only road leading to the forgotten settlement, the team began preparations for the unexpected.

"They're just bandits, but dark magic has uncertain properties. Try to stay together when you can, especially you, Natsu. If you go off on your own again, and they don't kill you, I definitely will." Erza commanded, ignoring the terrified expression on the dragon slayer's face. Taking over an impromptu position as the lead, she wanted to make sure their first mission as a team was completed easily and effectively. Everyone could certainly respect this, especially given the circumstances of their job. Not only was dark magic dangerous, but it was standing in the way off them and thirty million jewel. If that wasn't enough to warrant extra caution, he didn't know what would be.

Approaching the outskirts of Myoki, the group paused under a Torii signaling the entrance to the town. The traditional architecture of the town caught them all a bit by surprise, especially given their recent departure from the relatively modern city of Magnolia. It really seemed as though time had forgotten this part of Fiore, which made it even more interesting as to why these bandits had chosen this town to attack. It didn't seem likely that wealth was plentiful here, and if power was what they were looking for, they'd chosen wrong there as well. Myoki was the only settlement for miles in any direction, and any influence gained by controlling it would be lost on the closest cities, as Myoki held no political or economic relations with any of them. The town and its council relied on guilds to fulfill things they themselves could not, which was the sole reason the team from Fairy Tail had even learned of the place's existence.

"These guys can afford thirty million jewel?" Lucy questioned. "Looks like they could barely afford thirty alone."

"It doesn't matter what they can pay. This is a Fairy Tail job, so we're gonna get it right." Natsu answered. His honor and pride of his guild wouldn't allow him to let someone in need of help down. Even with thirty million jewel in question, the reputation of himself and his friends was more important. Then again, it wasn't as if he alone held this belief. Each one of the individuals standing near him at that moment held those same ideals close to their hearts. With affirmative nods, the team agreed on his sentiment. They would never leave those in danger alone.

Entering the supposed center of town, which was marked by a single pagoda style tower, the seven came to their first realization of the scene. There was no one around. While this was unusual, they weren't immediately off-put. The town itself was small, and it was relatively early in the morning. Additionally, Myoki _was _about one hundred miles from the middle of nowhere, so travelers would never be expected. Even so, the group steeled their senses and remained on alert. They weren't going to be taken off-guard so easily. This goal in mind, they were quick to react when the sound of footsteps met their ears. Focusing their vision on the tower standing in front of them, the group was met with the sight of an elderly man.

"Thank you for coming, Fairy Tail mages. Please, follow me."

Without another word, the man turned and walked back into the tower. The mages were quick to follow, casting questioning looks at one another. Entering into the pagoda, they were surprised to find a spacious meeting area. Tables ran in circular patterns along the length of the tower, connecting at the end to a modest grand stage where it was presumed the councilmen of the town sat. Lanterns illuminated the room with varying shades of yellow and orange, and incense filled the room with aromas of nature and earth.

"Councilman Byron, I presume." Erza offered, breaking the silence.

"Indeed."

"We understand you've called for help to deal with some bandits. Is this correct?"

"Indeed."

"And I'm assuming that has something to do with the lack of townspeople, yes?"

"Indeed."

"Listen, old man. Could you maybe give us something more to work with than the same thing over and over again?" Natsu broke out.

With an amiable expression, the man turned to the outspoken dragon slayer. "Possibly."

Annoyed, Natsu had to clench his fists to keep the flames brewing in his stomach from firing out. "What's with the one word answers? Didn't you just give us a full sentence introduction just a few seconds ago? What's going on?"

The answer came from someone else. "He can only answer questions with one word replies. That's the curse they game him."

Turning around, the group couldn't find the source of voice. The room was empty except for themselves and the councilman.

"I'm up here you idiots." The voice spoke again.

Glancing up, the mages were surprised to find a pigeon staring down at them.

Happy was the one to voice their confusion. "Are you-"

"_**YES I'M THE ONE SPEAKING, DAMN IT! WHO ELSE DO YOU THINK IT IS?"**_

The mages stared with mouths agape as the avian swooped down towards Byron. Landing on his shoulder, it returned its gaze to the shocked visitors.

"They cursed every councilmember who wouldn't abide by their demands. Byron was the wisest amongst us, so they removed his ability to answer questions. I was the strongest, so they turned me into a damned bird. After they saw that, the rest of the council gave in, and the village was soon to follow."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but who are you exactly?" Lucy asked.

"I'm Councilman Leero, or at least I was until I got turned into this pig with wings." The annoyance seeping off of his form was palpable to the mages, and each made a quick note to avoid antagonizing him further.

"How in the world did this happen? What kind of dark magic is this?" Erza questioned.

"Isn't dark magic supposed to be based off of pain? Why's this changing their forms?" Gray voiced from his place in the group.

With understanding, Carla was the one to answer. "This does cause them pain, Gray. These curses specifically targeted the strengths of the individuals. By doing that, it took the best things they had away from them."

"Maybe I can help!" Wendy proclaimed, stepping forward. As green light began to emanate from her palms, she approached the two cursed men. Beginning a recitation of ancient incantations, the young dragon slayer closed her eyes, searching for the source of their ailments. After a moment of silence, they opened again, and were joined by a pained expression. "It's no use. It's not caused by one specific thing. It almost feels like their bodies themselves have changed to cause this. It's not just magic that I can dispel."

"Damn, and you had me excited for a moment there, missy." Leero responded.

Speaking again for the first time, Byron rose from his seat. "What can you do for us, then?"

"Well where are the bastards that did this to you? We'll kick their asses and get you back to normal!" Natsu exclaimed, flames apparently shooting from his mouth.

Leero was the one to respond. "That I'm afraid we can't help with. You see, the bandits came in here attempting to enslave our people. The council stood up to them, but as you can see, our resistance was quickly diminished, as was that of the town. However, what disturbed me the most was what happened after they gave up. Seemingly of their own free will, the townsfolk followed the bandits out of town and into the mountains west of here. Once they were out of sight, Byron and I, who had stayed behind, passed out. When we awoke, we had no clue how much time had passed, and so we sent word for assistance. And how here you are."

Met with blank expressions, he added. "I'm not sure how you'll find them, but you must. We need to protect our people."

"We will councilman. Just give us until sunset, and I'll guarantee you we'll have found them." Erza reassured.

"Excellent, then I will see to it that we take no more of your time. Go."

With that, the mages sprang into action. They would find the missing villagers, and they would make those who had caused this pay.

* * *

High above the ground, Happy and Carla soared over the clouds as they looked down upon the earth beneath them. While keeping his eyes on the rolling hills and high peaks below, Happy couldn't shake the events of last night from his head. Try as he might, he simply couldn't forget the touch of Carla's body against his, and it drove him mad. Worse than that was the uncertainty he felt around her sudden reaction.

_She was so irritated when she went to sleep. What did I do wrong?_ The exceed wasn't quite sure how to approach the situation. He would have had no qualms with discussing the matter had it been him who had acted in reaction, but that was not the case. He felt as though pressing the issue would only serve to exacerbate the sensitivity he had seen earlier. After everything that had transpired over the past few weeks, the last thing he wanted was to add more drama to either of their lives.

"Happy, do you see anything?"

Shaken from his consciousness, Happy stumbled over his response. "N-nope! Nothing here!"

"Right, well keep looking. We need to catch something before nighttime or else this whole ordeal is going to take even longer."

"Aye!" Refocusing himself, Happy stared with extra vigor at the bleak landscape. Steam from rivers was rising up from the cracks running between the mountains, mixing with a fog that had rolled in from the plains to obstruct his view. Descending towards the ground, he tried to gain some clarity of the hidden terrain. What he saw frustrated him. Not a single trace of movement met his eyes, and worse yet, neither did any past trace. How an entire village could walk up and leave without leaving any evidence of their departure was astounding to the exceed. On top of that, the ground below them was extremely difficult to traverse. It would take a person on foot at least a week just to travel a few miles through the land he saw, and yet still nothing showed itself to him.

"Happy, where are you? That fog's too thick and I can't see a thing." He heard Carla shout out. While he would typically jump at her mention of him, he was distracted by his annoyance of their progression.

_Damn it! Where are these bastards? They couldn't have gotten far – it's only been a few days at most! _

Lost in thought, he failed to notice the mountain face growing rapidly larger right in front of him. With a thunderous crack, Happy collided with the rocky outcrop. Losing consciousness, the exceed spun down towards the ground, disappearing into the mist.

* * *

The first thing Happy was aware of when he awoke was the pounding of his head. The second was the fact that his arms were trapped at his side, held by rope that had also tied him to a wooden post. His mind still scrambled from the impact, he struggled to take in his surroundings. His vision blurred, and a ringing in his ears never seemed to go away. Even his sense of smell was useless, although that was caused mainly by the moisture in the air, which seemed to drown everything in its embrace. The one thing that worked perfectly was his sense of touch, which alerted him immediately to the presence of another individual tied to the same post as he.

"Wh-where am I? What happened?" He was able to make out. He was startled by the fear in his voice. The elimination of his senses was terrifying. Even more terrifying was the silence that met his words.

"I-I know you're t-there. Who are you and wh-where am I? What's going on?"

The other individual remained unspeaking. If not for the warmth of their body, Happy wouldn't be surprised if they were dead. As his senses slowly returned to him, he tried to determine his situation. Looking around, he was first able to make out the fact that he was in a cave of some kind. A light source was projecting across the walls, and shadows were dancing in and out, leading Happy to believe that a fire of some sort had been setup. This reinforced his opinion that he was not alone. Taking each sense at a time, he tried to listen. While he couldn't hear definitive language, there was muffled discussion coming from what he assumed to be the front of the cavern. His vision finally stabilized, he tried to take another look around. He was shocked by what he saw.

All around him were wooden poles just like the one he was confined to, and tied to each one were what Happy assumed to be the villagers of Myoki. He made this assumption by their farming attire, and the blank looks they all held on their faces. Looking closer, he began to see the signs of dark magic. Purple crosses had replaced their pupils, and from their eyes ran lines of the same color that traveled all the way to their feet. Most strikingly, their skin had taken on a ghostly pallor, and their hair had all taken on a violet hue.

_Well, I found them. _

His attention was attracted to the front of the cave as the voices he had heard earlier grew louder. For the first time, he could hear what they were saying.

"-just fell out of the sky, y'know?" said a gruff, male voice.

"Nah, cats don't fly idiot. Don't _y'know_?" responded a softer woman's voice.

"All I'm sayin is the thing fell out of the fog and hit the ground right in fron' o' me. Saw it with my own eyes."

"I don't care whatcha saw! I just wanna _eat_ it!" spoke yet another voice. The commanding tone set forth seemed to suggest the male owner was the leader of the three unknown individuals.

His consciousness having returned to full capacity, Happy was able to determine the threat in their words. He took this motivation to will himself into action. While the Happy of a year prior may have been helpless in this situation, the exceed he was now would stand for the humiliation of being placed on a dinner menu.

While his arms were restrained, his paws were not. Unsheathing the claws he had so carefully sharpened days earlier, he quickly began sawing through his restraints. In a few moments, he felt the slack of restraints giving way as he cut through the remaining few fibers holding him captive. Attempting to stand, he was glad to feel no adverse effects to his balance or coordination. With his head still pulsing pain, he ducked behind a nearby rock formation. Crawling up the side of the cavern, he was able to get himself about fifteen feet off the ground and into a shrouded spot in the shadows right before the three strangers appeared before his past prison.

"What… what happened? I put him right here!" the first voice exclaimed. Taking a closer look at the individual, Happy was able to identify him as a man standing about six feet, with ragged clothing hanging off his stout frame. Happy once again saw violet hair illuminated by the light shining off the cavern walls.

Moments later, he saw the woman who had spoken earlier step forward. While she was significantly shorter than her companion, she wore very similar clothing and had a matching hair color to the man.

"You're an idiot. You truly are. I told you cats don't fly and you didn't catch a cat. You're a liar."

"I am not!" The man retorted quickly, oblivious to the exceed sitting high above him.

_Two enemies… and I'm not sure what they've got in store. But… they don't know about me either, and I've got the element of surprise. Looks like it's finally time to put my training into action._

Summoning from his stores of magical power, Happy began to focus his energy.

_Aera_

As his wings appeared from his back, so too did wisps of magical particles that emanated from his fists. Taking a deep breath, Happy dug his feet into the rock beneath him.

_Fifteen feet. Both of them about four feet apart. If I hit them just right, I'll take out both with one attack. It's got to be perfect though – I won't get another chance at this._

His paws now completely enveloped in a greenish-blue light, Happy stepped over the lip of the rock face, finally drawing the attention of the thugs beneath him.

While he saw their lips move and their bodies react, Happy was completely unaware of what they were saying. Focused solely on his next actions, he had no time to determine to meaning of their words. He even nearly missed Natsu's figure as it collided with the two aforementioned bandits.

"_**IRON FIST!"**_

Happy could only stare with eyes wide and mouth open as the two threats he had been about to attack lay sprawled on the floor of the cave.

"Natsu!? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass! Come on, let's go!"

"No, no, _**NO!**_ How'd you find me, where are we, and who are these guys!?"

With an expression that seemed comically simple for the circumstance, Natsu responded. "Carla told us you'd disappeared, so I looked for you. It was easy for me to smell you, so I just followed the scent here. I don't know who these guys are, but they looked creepy so I took em' out." Motioning to both the two he had recently pummeled, as well as a figure further to the front of the cave, he confirmed to Happy that the owners of the voices he'd heard earlier were no longer capable of fighting.

"I think they were the bandits, Natsu. Look around! Aren't these the townspeople we were looking for?"

Aware for the first time of his surroundings, Natsu acknowledged Happy's statement. "Looks like it. Although what's going on with them all?"

"No clue, but we need to get them out of here, don't we?' Swooping down to Natsu's side, he continued, "But there's so many of them. How are we gonna get them all back to Myoki by ourselves?"

As if answering his question, a wave of motion swept through the imprisoned townsfolk. As the duo watched, the violet that had stained their hair slowly faded to their original shades, and the stains on their bodies slowly retreated back towards their source in the eye. Ghastly sludge stained the same color began to ooze out of their bodies and float into the air around them. As the evil crosses that had replaced their pupils disappeared, a final shockwave was sent throughout the crowd. The sludge quickly shot towards the center of the cavern, collecting in a dense ball of palatinate light before imploding.

Even more amazing than the display the duo had just paid witness to was the reaction from the people before them. The dark magic gone from their bodies, they began to return to the individuals they had been before their enslavement. Eventually, with the help of Natsu and Happy, a few were able to break free and assist the others. As the final captive was cut free, a unanimous exclamation of relief and joy was shared amongst those collected. While Happy shared in their excitement, there was still one thing that was digging at his consciousness.

_Why is it that every time I have an opportunity to use my training, Natsu steals the moment?_

With annoyance, Happy couldn't help but relate the dragon slayer to the main character in a series of novels. The bastard always got the credit.

**Author's Note: Hey everybody - welcome back to the sixth installment in AHT. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter - and I promise I won't continue trolling Happy's advancement for much longer. I've got some interesting stuff planned for the next few chapters - so please be prepared for some interesting character development. Also - I will be having my wisdom teeth taken out next week (what a glorious time) so writing might take a hit there - just a heads up. Anyways - thanks for reading and please look forward to the next installment. Things are gonna start heating up in many ways.**

**\- Yoru**


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